Zomba motorists demand answers over Malawi fuel shortage
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Malawi24
Motorists in Zomba are denouncing the fuel shortage and calling for urgent action from the Malawian authorities. They accuse officials of failing to inform the public about the crisis, already described as a national emergency, reports Malawi24.
Motorists in Zomba are calling for urgent action over Malawi’s fuel shortage. Drivers accused those managing the crisis of failing to tell the public the truth, according to accounts gathered by Raphael Likaka for Malawi24 at filling stations.
Motorists say some people are pushing their vehicles while passengers are inside. Police are keeping order in queues, where drivers sometimes try to jump ahead of others, people interviewed by Malawi24 reported.
The protests come as Malawian President Peter Mutharika is in South Africa on a stay described by the government as private. He left on 6 October and has made his fifth private visit to the country since taking office in October 2025, spending about 72 days there in total. The Minister of Homeland Security and secretary-general of the Democratic Progressive Party, Peter Mukhito, defended his ability to govern remotely on Sunday 25 October. He said he met the president in South Africa on 23 October and found him in good health.
The Malawi Human Rights Defenders Coalition is asking the government to explain the prolonged absence directly. It is calling for an explanation from the presidency and the Office of the President and Cabinet, as well as an indication of when Mutharika will return. Zomba motorists, meanwhile, are calling for immediate measures to restore fuel supplies. The shortage, declared a national emergency on 22 October, has lasted for more than a month, according to previous reports on the crisis.
